Behind Ukraine's Deepening Protests

A Wall Street Journal Roundup

Jan. 22, 2014 5:22 p.m. ET

The two-month-old antigovernment demonstrations in Ukraine—the country's biggest political standoff since the Orange Revolution swept a pro-Western government to power nine years ago—turned violent this week, as at least two protesters died from gunshot wounds in clashes with police early Wednesday.

The protests began in November when President Viktor Yanukovych turned away from a European Union integration pact, and later agreed to a $20 billion bailout package from Russia. Many of the protesters come from Ukraine's west,...